Envelop-clasp



e. 0. MO'X ON. ENVELOP CLASP. APPLICATION FILED DEC- 22, 1914. RENEWED APR. 16,1919

1335,85 1 I Patented Apn 6, 192a llNlTE snares rarnnr enrich.

GEORGE C. IMOXON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ENVELOP-CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 22, 1914, Serial No. 878,485. Renewed April 16, 1919. Serial No. 290,642.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnoncn C. MOXON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful 1111- provements in Envelop-Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to a fastening clasp and particularly relates to such a device designed for use in connection with clasp envelops and similar stationery.

There is a general objection to metal clasp envelops in that extreme care must be taken in their manufacture to insure registry of coacting parts and even when this accuracy of construction is provided, a contained article of unusual dimensions is very apt to disarrange the registry. Aside from this objection, these envelops require such a multiplicity of operations in fastening the parts together that they have fallen into disfavor especially in mailing establishments where large numbers of envelops are fastened for mailing, and furthermore such devices present free metal prongs, which tend either to become open in transit and lose contents or to catch and damage other pieces of matter assembled therewith.

One of the objects of my invention-is to eliminate the above suggested difficulties in devices of this character and to provide a simple, readily and cheaply constructed clasp which will be self-contained and which will quickly and securely retain the fastened parts in position without danger of damaging other mail matter.

Among the other objects of the invention which may be mentioned are to provide a one piece clasp which can be conveniently locked without injury to the fingers of the operator, to provide a clasp which will lie close to the outer surface of the envelop without presenting any exposed ends, which mightcatch and damage other matter, and to provide such a device which can be easily and cheaply constructed.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fuly set forth in the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying the invention, and the invention further consists in certain new and novel features of construc tion and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

lieferring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view showing an open envelop with a preferred embodiment of my invention in position thereon;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view showing the clasp of Fig. 1 in fastening position.

While the invention .is obviously of gen eral application wherever a plurality of penetrable members are to be fastened, it Will be described in its application to envelops used in mailing catalogues and the like. In the drawing there is illustrated an envelop having a back portion 1' and a flap 2 designed to overlap the outer portion of said back and close the opening 8 of the envelop as is usual with devices of this character. The clasp 4 is preferably a one-piece sheet metal member having a base portion 5 suitably fastened to the back 2, one end portion of which is a strip having parallel edges and bent back upon itself intermediate its length to form a bill portion 6 positioned above and extending parallel to the base portion. The fastening means for the base portion is preferably two or more prongs '7, which may be pressed from the base strip, or where a wide spreading lateral gripping effect on the envelop is desired, the prongs may be in the form of laterally extending arms 7 integral with and extending laterally from opposite edges of the base portion, which prongs are passed through the back and are clenched in any suitable manner usual in fastening such members to paper articles.

The end of the base portion opposite the bend 8 connecting the base portion with the bill is enlarged to provide a head 9, with its central portion pressed from the general plane of the base portion to provide a hollow recess beneath the head. The head is provided with a slit 10 extending transversely of the length of the bill and parallel to the bend 8. This slit is preferably L 1 1 at the ait engagi at a sharp angle toward the base portion to form a finger 12. This finger forms an acute angle with the bill and is positioned relative to the bend so that it will engage the incline intermediate its length when the bill is pressed toward the base portion in closing the envelop.

The linger may t61.lll12ti36 in an edge 13 designed to punch its way through the flap 2 and viay be either straight or may be reduced to form one or more points.

A backing may be JOSl'tlOllCCl across the bottom of the recess to prevent the finger from punching the envelop and injure its contents and to further assist in turning the finger into its locking position hooked under the head. T his backing preferably is in the :torm of an integral extension from the edge the head opposite the reduced portion of the base which extension is bent back under the head.

It is obvious that tie envelop flap or the backing, or both, ay be suitably reinforced the clamp by any suitable means as .ai'lixing an extra layer or paper to thcseniembers at this place which thus permits the use oi lig' t weightpaper with this device.

In operation the flap otthe envelop is lapped over the open end and positioned between the bill and base portion the clan'ip. .lt is not necessary that the liap be pertl'orat d but the flap may be provided with a perioration or a series or perforations to contain the finger if desired.

7 Pressure is exerted on the bill to force the same into position parallel and relatively close to the base portion or into engagement ith the back the flap. This action "forces the finger through whatever portion of the flap happens to be in line with the same and onto the incline at a slight angle thereto. Continuing the pressure at the free end of the bill causes the finger to be bent by the incline until it fits r within the slot and hooks under the port-ion oi the head outlining the side o1 the slip adjacent the bend in which position it is held by the rigidity of the metal.

If the finger is not bent entirely away from the back of the envelop by this opera- 'tion, the protecting backing tends to further bend the finger into a flat hook with the base portion disposed between the finger and bill.

Should it be desired to unfasten the clasp as when the content is inspected by the post office the bill raised from the base which action will cause the finger to open into its original position and permit the escape thereof from the slit. The billmay be again pressed back into position with thefinger again hooking into the base and the clasp has not been damaged by this refastening operation.

" Bymeans of a device of this character the usual registering openings in the envelop flaps may be omitted as the finger on the bill perfor-ates its own opening in the act of fastening the {lap in place, which opening is thus formed in its correct position to form a tight closure irrespective of the dimensions of the contents of the envelop.

When the device is in its fastening posi tion there are no loose ends for catching in other mail matter and as the end ofthe bent finger is contained within the recess of the base head even this end is not exposed to damage the envelop or the fingers of the operator. The parts are "fastened by pressing on a fiat met-a1 strip and'in unfa'stening the device it this flat strip which is raised, thus eliminating any cutting by sharp pointed ends. lh'e clasp is exposed and readily accessible should it be desired to open the envelop and there is no'danger of mutilating the same. 7

While I have shown and described, and have pointed out in the annexed claims, certain novel features of my invention and have d cribed the sa ine in connection with an on *elop, it "will be understood that the device may be used in connection with mailing cards, boxes and the like and it will be further understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and 95 details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in rny invention, 1

tend ng from said head and bent back upon itself to form a bill, the free end 01 said bill bemoprovided with an inturned finger adapted to engage in said opening to fasten the bill in position relative to the base and adaptedto perforate a penetrable member disposed between the base portion and bill and means for fastening said base portion in position.

2. A one-piece clasp comprising a base portion provided with an opening and an incline leading to said opening, a bill formed integral with said base portion, said bill including a bendable finger projecting toward said base provided with a sharp endv and adapted when pressed toward the base to engage said incline and be bent thereby into fastening engagement in the opening.

A one-piece clasp comprising, a base portion provided with an opening and an incline leading to said opening a bill formed integral with said base portion, said bill including a' straight bendable linger project toward said base and adapted when pressed toward the base to engagefsaid incline and be bent thereby into fastening "on gagement in the opening and a backing for said base portion disposed beneath said opening and adapted to intercept the movement of said finger after it has passed through said opening.

4. A clasp comprising a base member adapted to lie on top of a paper member, and provided with means for bending a coacting member, a coacting member adapted to overlap a second paper member disposed between the base member and coacting member, said coacting member being provided with bendable means on top of the paper member adapted to engage the said first named means and be bent thereby into fastening engagement with the base member, said bendable means being provided with a pointed end adapted to penetrate the second paper member.

5. An article of manufacture comprising a stamped sheet metal clasp comprising a base including a head having a raised portion provided with a slit and an incline leading to said slit, fastening prongs projecting from the edge of said base, a bill extending from said base, a finger extending from the free end of said bill and adapted to engage said incline and to be forced thereby into fastening engagement in the slit.

6. A clamp comprising two members fastened together at one end by means of a flat bend and adapted to contain a penetrable fabric member therebetween, means for fastening one of said members in position and means, including a piercing finger on one of the memberscoacting with the other member, for automatically hooking one of said members through the penetrable fabric member and into set position in said fastened member.

7. A clasp for fastening the flap to the body of an envelop comprising a one-piece metal member having a base portion, means integral with said base portion for fastening the same to the body of the envelop, said back portion including part of a strip bent back upon itself to form a bill portion positioned above and extending parallel to the base portion of said strip and with said bill portion lapping the free edge of the envelop flap, the free end of said bill portion being defined by a bendable finger projecting toward the base, said base being provided with a slit therein, an incline leading to said slit, said incline adapted to engage the finger when the latter is pressed thereon to bend the same into fastening position in the slit and position the same between the base and the envelop.

8, An article of manufacture, consisting of a flexible strip provided with prongs adjacent one end for fixedly attaching the same to an envelop, said strip adapted for folding manually-with a single bend whereby one end portion may be superimposed upon the other and one of said ends being provided with a flexible finger bent back at a sharp angle to the adjacent end portion adapted to engage an envelop flap positioned between the superimposed portion of the bent strip. 7

9. A clasp for fastening the flap to the body of an envelop comprising a one-piece metal member having a base portion, means associated with said base portion for fastening the same to the envelop, said base portion including part of a strip bent back upon itself to form a bill portion positioned above and extending parallel to the base portion of said strip, the free end of said bill portion being defined by a bendable finger having a sharp pointed end projecting toward the base portion and adapted to penetrate a portion of the envelop disposed between the finger and base portion, said base portion being provided with guiding means adapted to engage the finger when the latter is pressed thereon to bend the same into fastening position.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York this 16th day of December, A. D. 1914.

GEORGE C. MOXON.

VVitnesses LEO F. ALTHoL, BENJ. KOENIGSBERG. 

